Separator



G. H. FRASER SEPARATOR v Original Filed Aug. 27, 1914 2 Sheets$heet 1 WlTNESSES INVENTOR AM JMZWO ,fmzx fi/Mk W G. H. FRASER July 1 1924.

SEPARATOR Original Filed Aug. 2'7 1914 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR WITNESSES:

Patented July 1, 1924.

FUE'E'ED arar GEORGE EIOLT FRASER, OF BROOKLYN, YORK.

SEPARATOR.

Continuation e1 application filed Aug st 2-7, 191e,

1919. Serial No. 310,329.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEOR E HoL'r Fnasnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at No. 226 Quincy Street, in the borough of 5 Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, United States of America, manufacturer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separators, being a continuation of my original applica' tion Serial Number 858,797 ,flled August '27,

1914:, renewed December 18, 1918, Serial Number 267,l 01, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for separating, sizing or classifying, collecting or filtering materials by means of a fluid current, andaims to provide certain im provements therein.

Heretofore it has been common to separate fine from coarse material by an air current, by passing the material through a casing in which the" current was drawn through the material to float out the fine particles and deposit these in a dust chamber, after which the current was returned and continuously re-used.

With apparatus of this character it has been diflicult to prevent coarse particles from being carried out with the line, and to prevent variation in product due to changing conditions This invention relates to apparatus in which a fluid current is utilized to effect separation, and aims to provide improvements whereby one or more products" may be separated with greater convenience and certainty than heretofore. Y

To this end in carrying out the preferred form of'the present improvements the material to be treated is formed into a descending blanket, alternately concentrated and expanded as itdescends by gravity, inter-- mittently retarded and re-distributed to avoid any undue acceleration, and sufliciently agitated to expose all portions to current action, and while subject to these conditions a fluid current is passed through it to float outwardly from the descending blanket all material capable of floating in the prevailing current. The remaining material descending through the current is withdrawn as tailings.

The extracting process to insure removal of ,all fine materialinvolves the risk of carrying out some oversize, and thisinvenaerial 858,?97. "this application .12, B enewed January at, 1924. i W a i i n P e ly P ide fa ele in the extracting current'isuch'fgrade orjgrad of material as desired andinsuringfthat the final prb u al b .fr i inn abl n-- b'le sizes, and it also providesiforlilo pl ely l e n th ma a of t e desired fineness and more thoroughly ii ltf'ering the returned fluid. The invention further provides for rnore completely utilizing the space neces occupied by the apparatus, for outside an rent producing provision, for -g'reaterpaccessibility, and for convenience of cleaning, agitation and removal of parts, andit'pro: vides various features of improvement, all of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and described in detaillin their'preferred form, with reference "to the accoinpanying drawings, which illustrate thepreferred adaptation of my present invention, and in which 7 Fig. 1 is a vertical axial section, cut approximately on the line 1: 1 of Figsfl2 and 3 of an air separator constructed cording to the preferred form of inven} tion, and

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectiontllereof out approximately on the planes of the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1, and Y Fig. 3 is a horizontal section thereof out approximately on the planes of the lines 3 3ofFig. 1."

Referring to the drawings;

Let A indicate'the casing,B the driving mechanism, C the .feed :hopper, D the distributor, E the feed chamber,F theblower, G the dust chamber, H thereturn passage, I the coarse outlet,'and J thefirie outlet, of an air separator. All of thesepartsmzay be of any usual or suitable constructionadapted to distribute the material .in a descending blanket, cause a fluid current to traverse it, precipitate the fine material floated'ou't by the current, continuously re-usethefluid medium, and separately deliver Ithe'co'arse and fine products. i

v The casing A shown consists of a cylindrical body a, a flat top b,"a' conical bottom 0, and a separable conical end d in which are formed the coarse and line outlets, and. all forming an enclosed chamber which the fluid is confined. I

According to one feature of my invention the driving mechanism comprises a tubular shaft K mounted in upper and lower ings e bracket f mounted on cross-beams g which" support tne separator. Slidingly or reinovaloly keyed or carried on the shaft K is a cone or step'wheel h driven from a similar Wheel i by a belt j, or other suitable variable speed driving provisions.

The shaft K has a shoulder is seating on a split collar Z which supports it vertically on a ring ball or other non-friction annular thrust, bearing m, which is centered upon and supported by the lower bearing The lower end of the shaft 1': is reduced so that it can be passed through the vertical hearing and extends into the casing, and has screwed or otherwise separably connected it a flange 0 to wh ch the spider p is bolted or otherwise separably connected so as to revolve with the shaft.

The frame 7 is shown in Fig. 1 as open at its front side so that the snaft he re moved horizontally and then raised vertically, it and the hopper above sliding horizontally. into the open side of the fi me.

The hopper C is rotatively and adjustably mountedon the frame f and has a tubular erttension i telescopically an. adjustably entering the feed pipe L, which latter is adjusted vertically by screws r and ree- 1y through the tubular shaft l: opening at its lower end opposite the feed disc of the distributor from which it can be adjusted to regulate or control the speed of feed. This disc is adjustably and separably connected a to the spider 79 by screws 71. and revolves first of series of retarding; or distributi with the shaft K so that material falling on it is thrown out centrifugally and horizon tally into the feed chamber.

' The distributor D may be any suit-able device for feeding the material blanket or wide thin streaim ac whether the blanket of material to be ed is to descend in a rectilinear or tubular path. It is preferably driren member: and. when the material is to descend by it? the distributor and bordered by battle c shown a cylindrical ring 6 against wl icl.

is removable the material strikes and which for renewal Below. the ba le ring; erably provid cont-rat ring or plate a, upon WillL falls from the baflie ring; and by which it is directed inwardly and delivered onto the rings or members 2 which check the speed of flow and deflect the material outwardly allowing it to fall onto a second converginip; or deflecting ring or plate w down whiwhthe inaterial flows and from which it falls onto the next plate 0. the contracting and displates or rings being arranged in succession so that the material will flow down one and fall onto the other be retarded thereby and again fall onto the next, and so on taroughout the series of feeding plates whereby the material cending by gravity between them traverses a sinuous path and is alternately r tarded and restarted so that undue acceleration of speed of fl w is pre vented. suficient agitation is obtained. as the material descends between the plates. ---1 these are arranged in ring form as the n-aterial desc nding between them tut endless blanket or tubular en velope b ween the distributor and the i ner uppe core ti below them. and the space between the or plates constitutes an annular sinu-..us separating passage T he rings r are relatively short and the =-i gs u are. preferably long or upwardly .L e L tended to bring their upper edges above the lower eog'es of the next upper ring in and pref rably to o above the lower dye of the next upper ring it, so that nt in passing between two rings a must i c as it traverses the passage Q and any heavy particles carried out horizontally it may be dropped onto the upper part of the ring 'lt as the current rises to pass oven the top thereof.

To: some work where further selection is unnecessary the series of rings a and 2* only may be used in connection with the current producing; and dustcollectinp; provisions. but l prefer to provide for further select-ir the -raterial thus separated and preferably for separately classifying or grading these selections according: to their number. My in ention provides for this one or more sucpreferably annular and A feeding and crd dew and concentric with and surr no these ii'itermedlate of the pressure nd *1 aust chainbe s Preferably this i 1 in the m nner shown by nod plate 0 u 1" eversely incl m passage O which inter-coats tlle outflowinr current and defle ts it downwardlv at an e so that the cu rent tel Y horizontally pret iv in a sinuous path ly and large pieces intercepted and fall or the current turns around the es of 316 rings a: in passir these. These ri e slightly spaced apa above and below each passage to permit ticles thus intercepted or selectedto des end bet een them and are sufficiently spaced apart to give the desired width of passage for the current. Particles extracted between these will descend crossing the current for each surceedinopassage so that should any fines escape with them. the current of a succeeding passage may extract these.

carried by it will. b be thrown out of around the passage 0 beyond the selector R,

an o ter.1e'ceptacle or cone or wall 2. The current from the several passages 0 ,discharges within this wall and flows upwardly overthe top or open upper end not the wall and down into thechamb er Q. This wall 2 constitutes a second selector V, the ta'ilings ofwhich may be separately collected asishown by ajcone V and passage X and outlet Y when this grade'is desired.

Pr oportioning, inclination, relative elevation; and intermediate spacing, of these several parts willbe .suited'to circumstances or requirements, but are preferably (such as to effect varying current speeds as well as considerable changes of direction in the current as it progresses outwardly, and in :the final selection chamber tlie a rea is xsuflicient to give such volume as will insure a current speed suited to float only particles of the fineness desired in 'the finest product to be produced so that only this will be carried intothe chamber Q and can reach the dust chamber G 5 In the chamber Q the current descends with comparative islowness, its floating dust being precipitated by gravity into the settling chamber for removal through the fine outlet. I 1

The air is Withdrawn from the chamber Q, .or returned to the chamber through the return passage -H, which communicates between these and preferably eQihausts :by' suction "from the inner {side of the chain'- 'V berQ.

I I preferably provide for mechanical extraction or filtration' of floating particles from the fluid intermediate of the chamber a and thereturn passage*H, I Tprefer -to i pro vide a foraminous or interstitial walllbetw een these thrcugh which thecurre'nt must pass, and this is preferably a double wall or'series of hollow troughs or plates disposed-with theirboncav lside's facing the chamber Q and their lconzvex 5sides "facingr'the :inlet -H and extending downwardly and outwardly from the coneconstituting the top wall of the return; the cone a constituting its bottom wall. Tlhese plates bare staggered in relation and spaced apart so' that circuitous passages 0 exist between them through which the current may flow while their hollow faces will p'rovidea "spaceinwhich particles may settle and descend without danger of being floated by eddiesxtinto the return.

The open lower ends of the troughs 1) discharge into, the dust chamber, where there is practically no current sufficient to lift their dust. Thus, the returning current is sufli: ciently freed from floating back fines to avoid any loss of efliciency on this score, so

that the current may be strong enough to extractiall the fines Without danger of materialloss of efficiency, andthe selectors may belused toeiitract large pieces in such a strong current before they reach the dust chamber; 7 Anysuitable current producingmeans and connection may be utilized with thosefea turesofmy improvements already described, but I prefer to employ an outside bloweror one separate from and independent of the feeder, and to-drive this and the latter from the same source of power, preferably .a motor Z, coupled to the shaft d of the blower F, which shaft is shown as extended .to the pulley .2 for driving the feeder. The suction and discharge connections between the oi'ut-side blower andthe ichambers Qand P may be made in any"'suitable way, but according to the preferred form of my invention-I provide for utilizing centrifugal actionto equalize the outflow and inflow-of current and avoid undue variation's'or inequalities thereof, and to preserve a uniform suction throughout the exhaust chamber Q. This is preferably accomplished by connecting the suction pipe 6 of the fan tangentially 'with an annular exhaust passage f outwardly of and'surrounding the distributing and' contracting inlet g of the return and communicating with the latter by a reverse passage it over an intermediate annular dam i, so that the suction current from the trough f will cause a rapid whirling action in the latter which will prevent excessive withdrawal of fair at any one point around the sinuous annular passages communicating between this and the ;inletpassage H.

my invention provides a similarmeans' for utilizing centrifugal force to equalize the blast Eas ithe'current comes from the blower to thechamber P which is preferably accomplished-byZconnecting the-blast pipe y" ofthe blower tangentially tdan annular blast chamberk in which the blast will whirl'and uniformly discharge'overthe innerwall of the lower receptacle or cone Z- and down through the passage mto the lower open end a of the inner upper receptacle or cone M,

through which'as it rises it will still be 'sub-' jected to some whirling action which will aid in avoiding excess of current at any one point.

In this way an outside blower as distinguished from one enclosed within the casing and revolving with the distributor may be utilized ata great saving of power and much simplification of construction, andthe desired blower and distributor speeds and ad justments may be had independently, and the blower need not be subjected to great wear from direct contact with the material, as it can operate only on the cleanest air.

My invention provides for utilizing much of the space within the bottom cone which is not all needed for precipitation of dust, and preferably accomplishes this by locating both the annular suction chamber and its communicating passages, and the annular blast chamber and its communicating passages as well as the intermediate selector passages, all within the dust chamber, and the blast chamber within the suction chamher, so that these all are concentrically superposed and compactly nested around the tailings and selector passages, and the blower may be placed where desired and suitably connected with them.

When used as separate passages the selector passages are preferably disposed between the suction and blast equalizers by a series of cones spaced apart to give the necessary intermediate passage and suitably connected and separated for convenience and manipulation. As shown the cone 0 held on the cone (Z serves as the inner wall of the dust chamber G and connects with the outlet Y and with the secondary selector passage X. Loosely setting on it is a reverse cone p serving as the top of the latter passage and the inner wall of the suction chamber f and loosely setting on this is a cone 9 constituting one outer wall of the latter, the top wall of which is the cone 1", all of these cones being suitably supported and mounted so that each can be vibrated or lifted and is movable for cleaning.

The inner troughs b are preferably rigidly connected to the cone W and supported at their lower ends against the cone a, but the outer troughs are movably or elastically connected at their upper ends to the cone W as by springs 0 which poise them resiliently so that they quiver in use to clean themselves, and their lower ends bear against the cone 0. The cone 0 is preferably sectional ized by a section f separably connected so that it can be removed to permit the removal of the interior cones.

The cone W above the filter troughs covers and seals the upper ends of these and of the spaces between them to resist downward flow of current or leakage of dust vertically of them, and the cone a crosses the lower ends of the inner troughs and projects across the apertures between the troughs to resist upward flow of current or leakage of material longitudinally of them, but any other suitable means may be used to prevent leakage longitudinally of the troughs and to cause the return current to flow through the horizontally inwardly extending current passages afforded by the apertures between their faces to travel approximately at right angles to the longitudinal extension of such faces, so that there may be the minimum of disturbance to the current voids or calms formed in front of these faces and they can serve as downward ways afiording conduits across and for conducting below and out of the path of the current intercepted particles and down which intercepted particles can slide without molestation and by which such particles can be safely conducted through the inwardly returning current and directed into the dust chamber out of the current zone.

l Vhere advisable the edges of the cones are slightly spaced to permit settlings to drift through and where necessary their edges are valved with a flap d or flexible strip to avoid current leakage while permitting gravity flow of precipitated material,

The outer wall of the blast chamber is shown as a cone 8' carrying the outlet I and serving as the inner wall of the passage T,

and on this cone is mounted the cone t which serves as the top wall of the blast chamber and isolates it from the passage. The cone M serves as one inner wall of the blast chamber and the reverse cone'u as its bottom wall. WVhile these cones may be fixed together I prefer 'to loosely separably and suitably connect and support them so that they may be readily vibrated, adjusted or removed. The spacers between them constitute impact or jarring posts or members, by hammering on which percussivelythey may be vibrated to loosen adhering material. Adjustable separable screws 6 under the cones 0 and 8 support these.

Jarring of the parts may be effected in any suitable way, as by occasionally. hammering on the screws 6 but I prefer to continuously jar the parts as by providing a jarring post 8 on the cone 0, and a swinging hammer t which swings in the space be tween this cone and the outer cone f and alternately strikes the post and the outer cone, and which is swung by a rod u projecting into the path of and struck by the swinging knockers o hinged to a revolving part 10 fixed on the shaft of the blower F as shown in Fig. 1.

My invention provides for accessibility to the several parts of the device by the operator without substantial manipulation, and for this purpose I preferably construct the tailings outlet I with a large tubular passage w closed by a cover y by opening which a man can crawl in and pass through the interior of the separator to adjust, repair or clean it. Similarly the suction and blast passages e and j are made respectively with a 'door' a in direct line with them and of sufficient size to permit entrance of the body so that the operator can crawl in either the suction or exhaust equalizer,

lltlll Several cones are preferably suspended by rods A from the top I) and positioned centrally by divergent bars a and b from the side.

In operation the feed entering from the hopper C will be controlled by adjusting the feedpipe L toward the feed disc 8 or by regulating the speed of the latter by its driving mechanism. The current will be control-led by the speed of the fan or by a butterfly valve B or otherwise.

Current rising into the chamber P will flow out between the rings 41, traverse the blanket of descending material, eXtract the fines and float them out through the passage 0. The selectors R and V when and if used will make their proper selections and classifications, and the floating fines passing these will descend through the chamber Q and fall into the dust chamber G, the air carrying these being drawn through the filter and clarified on its way to they return passage H. The exhaust through the latter will be uniform. Any sediment settling within the exhaust chamber will leak through the cracks thereof and fall into the dust chamber. The blast by reason of its centrifugal action will exert a uniform pressure as it flows over and under the wall and rises-within the cone M and into the chamber P. Any dust settling in the blast passage will leak through into the main tailings outlet. The feed and with drawal will be constant, and once adjusted to the work operation may continue without change regardless of variations in quantity and quality. A suflicient current to insure complete extraction can be used without danger since the selectors will eliminate any large particles blown out at the first extraction. Efliciency will be increased by the internal filtration.

The bottom cone d can be uncoupled and removed for entrance or cleaning, and the three adjacent cones can be removed with it through the large opening in the bottom cone 0. The section f of cone 0 can be removed and may carry with it all of the cones below the filter tubes.

Itwill be seen that my invention provides improvements which can be readily and advantageously availed of and it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular details of construction, arrangement or combination of parts, set forth as constituting its preferred embodiment since it-can be utilized in whole or in part according to such modifications as circumstances or the judgment of those skilled in the art may dictate without departing from the spirit of the invention.

When feed to the hopper C includes material too coarse for passing through the separator a scalper C is used, which accordingto one feature of: my invention is composed of a slotted foraminous' plate or screen bent into steps intermediate of the longitudinal extent of its elongated slots, so that the lower bent portion constitutes an outlet for each slot to permit escape of nails or hanging pieces. This is disposed with its long facesor steps at approximata ly to degrees inclination and its intermediate portions at approximately right angles thereto, and mounted in a trough or chute B of greater inclination than the .scalper. My invention provides a dam or retafder D opposite each step to prevent too rapidfiow. The large pieces scalped out of the feed descend past the separator to a spout E.

The suction and blastpipes are separably connectedto the blower, and theeorrespond ing passages of the blower are providedwith separable walls or hinged man-hole doors 2", see Fig. 3, so that either can be opened or removed for access.

The seal-per, having slots narrower than the selector outlets, guards these against.

possible oversi-zes.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a casing enclosing a chamber, a receptacle in said chamber having upper and lower openings communicat ing with said chamber, means for passing pulverulent material to be separated into said receptacle, means affording a way through said receptacle for the heavier panti cles of such material, means affording an endless current passage through and around saidreceptacle, means for circulating a fluid medium through said passage to carry ofi into said chamber the lighter particles of such material, and substantially annular substantially vertically disposed foram-inous filtering means across such passage and surrounding said receptacle for intercepting particles carried by such medium,,said filtering means being constructed and arranged to conduct the intercepted particles across and below the path of the medium and affording inwardly extending current passages for such medium. I

In combination, a casing enclosing a chamber, a receptacle in said chamber hav ing upper and lower openings communicating with said chamber, means for passing pulverulent material to be separated into said receptacle, means ailording a way through said receptacle for the heavier par: titles of such material, means affording an endless current passage through and around said receptacle, means for circulat ing a fluid medium through said passage to carry off into said chamber the lighter particles of such material, and substantially vertically disposed foraininous filtering means successive one to another across such passage .for intercepting particles carried by such medium, said filtering meansberng constructed and a-rra-nged'toconduct the 1ntercepted particles downwardly across the path of the medium and afi'ording horizontally extending passages for such medium.

3. In combination, a casing enclosing a chamber, a receptacle in said chamber having upper and lower openings communicating with said chamber, means for passing pulverulent material to be separated mto said receptacle, means affording a way through said receptacle for the heavier particles of such material, means affording an endless current passage through and around said receptacle, means for circulating a fluid medium through said passage to carry 01f into said chamber the lighter particles of such material, and substantially vertically disposed foraminous filtering means across said passage and depending from said receptacle for intercepting particles carried by such medium, said filtering means being constructed and arranged to conduct such intercepted particles across and below the path of such medium and afiordlng 1n-- wardly extending current passages for such medium.

4. In combination, a casing enclosing a chamber, a receptacle in said chamber having upper and lower openings communicat ing with said chamber, means for passing pulverulent material to be separated lnto said receptacle, means afiording a way through said receptacle for the heavier particles of such material, means affording an endless current passage through and around said receptacle, means for circulating a fluid medium through said passage to carry 0H into said chamber the lighter particles of such material, and substantially vertically disposed foraminous filtering means across said passage and below said receptacle for intercepting particles carried by such medium, said filtering means being constructed and arranged to conduct such intercepted particles across and below the path of such medium and affording inwardly extending current passages for such medium.

5. In combination, a casing enclosing a chamber, an upper receptacle within said casing having upper and lower openings communicating with said chamber, means for passing pulverulent material to be separated into said upper receptacle, a lower receptacle afi ording a way for the heavier particles of such material and having an open upper part affording communication between said chamber and said lower opening, means afiording an endless current passage through and around said upper receptacle, means for circulating a fluid medium through said endless passage to carry off in to said chamber the lighter particles of such material, and substantially vertically disposed foraminous filtering means across said passage and around said upper receptacle for intercepting particles carried by such medium, said filtering means bemg constructed and arranged to conduct such intercepted particles across and below the path of such medium, and affording inwardly extending current passages for such medium.

6. In combination, a casing enclosing a chamber, an upper receptacle within said casing having upper and lower openings connnunicating with said chamber, means for passing pulverulentmaterial to be separated into said upper receptacle, a lower receptacle affording a way for the heavier particles of such material and having an open upper part afi'ording communication be tween said chamber and said lower opening, means affording an endless current passage through and around said upper receptacle, means for circulating a fluid medium through said endless passage to carry oft into said chamber the lighter particles of such material, and substantially vertically disposed foraminous filtering means across said passage and around said lower receptacle for intercepting particles carried by such medium, said filtering means being con structed and. arranged to conduct such intercepted particles across and below the path of such medium, and ailording inwardly eX- tending current passages for such medium.

7, In combination, a casing enclosing a chamber, an upper receptacle within said casing having upper and lower openings communicating with said chamber, means for passing pulverulent material to be separated into said upper receptacle, a lower receptacle affording a way for the heavier particles of such material and having an open upper part aftording communication be tween said chamber and said lower opening, means affording an endless current passage through and around said upper receptacle, means for circulating a fluid medium through said endless passage to carry ofi into said chamber the lighter particles of such material, and substantially vertically disposed foraminous filtering means across said passage and between said receptacles for intercepting particles carried by such medium, said filtering means being constructed and arranged to conduct such intercepted particles across and below the path of such medium and affording inwardly extending current passages "for such medium.

8. In combination, casing enclosing a chamber, an upper receptacle within said casing having upper and lower openings communicating with said chamber, means for passing pulverulent material to be sepa rated into said receptacle, a lower receptacle affording a way for the heavier particles of such material and having an open upper part affording communication between said chamber and said lower opening, means at fording an endless current passage through IUU 10 structed and arranged to conduct suchintercepted particles across and below the path of such medium, and afiording inwardly extending current passages for such medium.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing 15 witnesses:

GEORGE HOLT FRASER.

l/Vitnesses: I

SIGVARD G. HELLEM, EDMUND J. FENN. 

